# Get paid to surf the net?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-paid-to-surf-the-net/73686>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 24, 2001, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-paid-to-surf-the-net/73686 "2001-07-24T22:55:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![vandergeld](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e99b99/32.png) [@vandergeld](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vandergeld)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2001, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-paid-to-surf-the-net/73686/1 "2001-07-24T22:55:42Z")

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I always see these offers in my junkmail box, or on flyers around campus. I assume it is bogus because if the claims were true ($20/hour!!), I would know a bunch of really rich students. But, since I have a job that has a LOT of downtime (waiting for systems to fail, actually) I spend probably 6 hours a day surfing the net. Can I really get paid to do this?

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2001, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-paid-to-surf-the-net/73686/2 "2001-07-25T08:05:27Z")

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No, it’s a scam.

In theory you can, but in practice, the kind of surfing that you normally do isn’t going to earn you much; There are usually very specific requirements as to where and how you must surf.

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2001, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-paid-to-surf-the-net/73686/3 "2001-07-25T08:07:11Z")

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The real motive behind the paid-to-surf stuff is to gather profiling data about you that they can sell to junk mailing companies.

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**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2001, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-paid-to-surf-the-net/73686/4 "2001-07-25T16:53:43Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by \*\*\*vandergeld \*\*  
> But, since I have a job that has a LOT of downtime (waiting for systems to fail, actually) I spend probably 6 hours a day surfing the net. Can I really get paid to do this?

You already _are_ getting paid to surf the net.

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**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2001, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-paid-to-surf-the-net/73686/5 "2001-07-25T17:45:41Z")

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Assuming it’s not a scam and they NEVER send you any money, you’re not going to earn much. Read the fine print on some of those websites and it says you can only earn for a certain amount per day for a certain number of days per month. Sometimes it’s at a measly rate of .25 or .50 per hour and you can only earn a maximum of $20 a month. No websurfing programs for you.  
Also, they have rules on how often they need to send checks and, if you get paid for recruiting friends, how often they need to pay you for that. They have rules for everything.

In essence, even if it’s not a scam, it’s still a scam.